Bookslut

September 2002

Start Your Own Slutty Book Group

Book groups are tricky things. Personally I have been in several, never
satisfied with one long enough to continue. If you are as picky as I am,
it may help to begin your own group. It's not as difficult as you may
think.

1. Decide on parameters.
What kind of books will you want to read? If you need a kick in the ass
to get around to the Big Important Books, consider a moral support group
to attempt tackling books like Ulysses or Gravity's Rainbow.
Having a theme will be important when someone you don't know joins and
wants to read Kaye Gibbons. With a theme you can just say, "Sorry, but
this is the Angry White Males book group. The Oprah group meets at Barnes
and Noble."

2. Find like-minded readers.
Of course hit up all of your friends, but I've got to warn you. Your friends
are the first to join in and the first to stop showing up. It's best to
advertise. Your local free alternative weekly should have an appropriate
section to list your group. Put up signs at independent bookstores and
anarchist coffee shops. Go online. There are a dozen message boards both
local and book related that you can post your information on. When searching
for members, however, be sure to mention the theme.

3. Clean your apartment.
There are perks to holding your group at a bookstore - free advertising,
sometimes free coffee, book discounts - but it'll be cozier, quieter,
and more under your control at home. There won't be time constraints,
you can serve food and alcohol (see below), and you can play the Velvet
Underground.

4. Fire up your oven.
Make your group a potluck. If a person swears they just can't cook, make
them bring wine instead. But if you can cook, make something amazing.
My favorite book group was barely book related, but I always ate well
and drank excessively. It kept me coming back, even to the meetings for
books I couldn't finish. I'm not suggesting pork chops with a red wine-miso
sauce, but a fantastic tomato-green pepper salad with white wine vinegar
dressing, or feta cheese dip, or hell, cookies. And make sure there is
always a large amount of wine on hand. Don't feel the need to drop $50
on the wine and food. Admit you're broke to the wine guy and have him
find a decent $5-7 bottle for you.

5. Be flexible.
Don't be the person who clears their throat every time the topic swings
off of the book. It's not just about the book. It's about being social.
There is only so much you can say about some books anyway. Also be flexible
about the meeting time. There is an excuse for every day of the week.
It's hard to motivate yourself out of the house on Mondays. Tuesdays have
Kiefer on 24. Etc. Find middle ground and be willing to change days or
weeks when people are busy.

6. Find another host.
If you host every month, you'll drive yourself crazy. Make sure everyone
knows they should take turns hosting. Otherwise, after six months you'll
be suggesting your group start meeting at Borders. It will probably happen
that the person who wants to host all the time will live 20 miles outside
of town on an unlit, unmarked road. Don't let her host very often.

There are many other issues in the setting up of a book group, like who
gets to choose the next book, or can we put a ban on Oprah books ever
being read, but those should be decided on at your first meeting. Good
luck with your group and, if you form one, let me know how it goes.